3/19/16 review of shows at NEXT Gallery and Pirate Contemporary

(Works by Phil Bender. Photo by me.)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of a couple of 2016 shows at NEXT Gallery and Pirate Contemporary, two galleries that used to be in the Navajo Art District of Denver, Colorado, but have since relocated, thanks to changing times.

The thread discusses and gives photos of work by Stephanie McCandless, Dayana Ruiz, and Phil Bender. I love Ruiz and Bender as people and artists. So I highly recommend checking out their work.

Here is the link to the website for NEXT Gallery.

Here is the link to the website for Pirate Contemporary.

3/19/16 review of Tim Schwartz show Escapism at Leon Gallery

(Image source: https://leongallery.org/tim-schwartz)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of Tim Schwartz's 2016 show Escapism at Leon Gallery in Denver, Colorado.

The thread gives an overview of the show, including Schwartz's technique, his influences, and some of the themes of his work. The thread gives a few photos of Schwartz's lovely work.

3/19/16 review of documentary The Bad Kids

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the documentary The Bad Kids, directed by Keith Fulton and Lou Pepe.

The thread gives a summary of the film. It discusses the objective yet poetic style of the film; the students' stories; and the mentality and failures of school bureaucracy in the US. The thread also gives links to the film's trailer.

I saw this film at the Denver Film Society's Sie FilmCenter in Denver, Colorado.

This film was part of Denver's Women + Film Festival.

3/19/16 review of documentary Speed Sisters, dir. by Amber Fares

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the documentary Speed Sisters, directed by Amber Fares.

The documentary Speed Sisters is about women race car drivers in Palestine. My Twitter thread gives a summary of the film. It discusses the life of contrasts the drivers live; the views the doc shows of Palestine; how race car driving can be a political act; and the personalities of each of the drivers. The thread also gives links to a trailer for the film and the film's website.

I saw this film at the Denver Film Society's Sie FilmCenter in Denver, Colorado.

3/19/16 review of film Mountains May Depart, dir. by Jia Zhangke

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the film Mountains May Depart, directed by Jia Zhangke.

The thread gives a summary of the movie. It compares the work to Zhangke's other works. It discusses the visuals and themes of the film, as well as my favorite part of the film. It also talks about the performance of Zhao Tao. It also gives a link to the trailer for the film and the film's website.

I saw this film at the Denver Film Society's Sie FilmCenter in Denver, Colorado.

3/13/16 review of 2016 CU TRANSforming Gender Conference

(Image source: https://news.kgnu.org/2016/03/transforming-gender-conference/)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the CU Boulder's 2016 TRANSforming Gender Conference.

This thread discusses some of the themes of the conference, such as gender in society; HIV and trans communities; the health risks of marginalization; trans people of color; the need to work for equality for everybody; activism and self-love; what inspires activists; trans and queer couples; trans and undocumented people; being genderqueer; and coming out to families.

The thread also mentions people like Nevaeh Anderson, CeCe McDonald, Jenicet Gutierrez, Tiq and Kim Milan, Rebecca Dunham, and Izzy Ahee.

Here is the link to the website for the TRANSforming Gender Conference.

3/10/16 review of lecture by Mickalene Thomas

(Image source: https://americanart.si.edu/artist/mickalene-thomas-29819)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of a 2016 lecture given by Mickalene Thomas at the Denver Museum of Art's Logan Lecture series.

The thread gives a bit of background on Mickalene Thomas. It also discusses some themes from Thomas's lecture, such as women giving each other strength; how we humans see ourselves in each other; queer mutual love; narrative and dimension in collage; and the textile sense in collage. The thread also mentions a show of Thomas's at the Aspen Art Museum, the next lecture in the Logan Lecture series, and a post-lecture visit to Denver's Art Hotel.

3/10/16 review of lecture by NEA Chair Jane Chu

(Image source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/04/29/nea-chairman-jane-chu-will-step-down-in-june/)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread of a 2016 lecture given by then-Chair of the National Endowment of the Arts, Jane Chu, at Denver's McNichols Civic Center Building.

The thread discusses some points in Chu's lecture, such as Colorado's performance versus other states in the arts; how art adds value to life in states; certain state-level art initiatives; how art creates cultural change; the White House Council on Women & Girls; Free Museum Day; and some people I met while at the event.

Here is the link to the website for Denver's McNichols Civic Center Building.

Some quick thoughts/Support me on Ko-fi!

Just a quick thank you to anybody who checks out my blog!

Also, if you like my work, please visit my Ko-fi page, where you can support the work by making one-off donations in increments of $3 (i.e. the cost of a cup of coffee).

As I've often mentioned before, this blog is a sort of table of contents for my old Twitter threads. I include links to the threads, as well as quick descriptions of the threads.

From time to time, I like to do a quick blog post thinking over the time frame of the threads I've posted to this blog.

The threads I've recently posted are from February and early March of 2016. As you can see from the threads, I was getting more and more interested in politics. I'd attended my first caucus ever. I also started attending things like lobbying days. I, like so many others got heavily involved in politics throughout 2016.

You will also see some threads where I engage with the Brooklyn-based art collectives AltSpace and Art Baby Gallery, as well as the music zine/blog Alt Citizen.

This was a high point in my involvement with the Denver art scene. AltSpace had come to Denver as part of its Nowhere Now tour, where they would visit cities and have pop-up galleries for a night or two, before going on to the next city.

I had been getting more into Art Baby Gallery for a number of reasons (partly the work of Grace Miceli and Miza Coplin). So when I heard they were doing their tour of the Western United States, I wanted to see if I could help them at all in Denver. They had already found a space for a show for one night -- Rhinoceropolis. I found them spaces for two more shows: Rule Gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver.

It felt pretty cool to help an art group I really admired. It was also cool to see what went into making something happen with an institution like MCA Denver. As you see, I'd also gotten involved over previous months staging poetry readings in solidarity with jailed Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh at RedLine Denver and the University of Denver. So I was learning how to make things like this happen.

But, it turns out, it seems to me on reflection like the Alt Citizen events, even though I'm still happy whenever I think of them, sort of led to me getting bad attention from certain people in Denver's art community. A lot of people in Denver's art community didn't like me, for a number of reasons. But following this event, things got pretty bad for me. This was a high point for me. But it also led to some pretty low points. And, eventually, I just stopped being a part of the Denver art scene. Too many people seemed not to want me around.

Alt Citizen also inspired me to use Instagram a lot more than I had in the past. For a little while, Instagram became my social media platform of choice. In a lot of ways, I don't think that was good. For some reason, Instagram just added some really toxic elements to my life. I'm still, even in 2019, trying to get a lot of that toxicity out of my life, as crazy as that may sound.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy all these entries. Thank you for reading!

3/6/16 review of PlatteForum show Plush It Real Good

Work by Frankie Toan

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 PlatteForum show Plush It Real Good.

The thread gives a bit of background on the show, which was a collaboration between artist Frankie Toan and students at McLain Community High School. The thread gives some pictures of the works, which are all really fun. The thread also gives a link to the website for PlatteForum.

3/6/16 review of Pattern Shop Studio show Shark's Ink: Collaborations II

Miho Morinue, The Cove
(Image source: http://patternshopstudio.squarespace.com/exhibitions/sharks-ink-collaborations-ii/20983373)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 Pattern Shop Studio show Shark's Ink: Collaborations II.

The thread gives some background on the show, which displayed works that were collaborations between printmaker Bud Shark and other artists. The thread discusses and gives pictures of work where Shark collaborated with Hung Liu, Hollis Sigler, Dianna Frid, Dale Chihuly, and Ed Hardy. The thread also gives a link to the Pattern Shop's website.

3/6/16 review of Alt Citizen in Denver

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the Denver leg of Alt Citizen/AltSpace's 2016 Nowhere Now tour.

The thread gives a little bit of background on the tour done by Alt Citizen, a music zine/blog, AltSpace, an art collective run by Alt Citizen, and a partner collective, Art Baby Gallery. I had actually helped the tour secure spots for its pop-up gallery at two locations, Rule Gallery and the MCA Denver, though I fail to mention this in the thread. The thread includes a few pictures of work from the shows, including work by Grace Miceli and Miza Coplin.

3/3/16 preview of Alt Citizen tour in Denver

Here is the link to my Twitter thread preview of the Denver leg of the 2016 Alt Citizen tour.

The thread gives a bit of background on the music zine/blog, their art collective project AltSpace, and a partner collective in the tour, Art Baby Gallery. The thread also gives links to all of these groups.

3/2/16 review of 2016 Colorado Democratic Party caucus

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 Colorado Democratic Party caucus.

The thread discusses the size of the 2016 caucus, and the political and population reasons for it. It discusses some of the process of the caucus, as well as some of my favorite moments. It also discusses aspect of the caucus I thought were helpful and not so helpful.

2/29/16 review of the anime Only Yesterday, dir. by Isao Takahata

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the anime Only Yesterday, directed by Isao Takahata.

The thread gives a summary of the 1991 anime. It discusses some of the reasons I liked the anime so much. And it discusses some of my sympathies with the films characters, and some other films the movie reminded me of. The thread also gives a link to the anime's website.

Here is the trailer for Only Yesterday.

I saw this film at the Landmark Esquire movie theater in Denver, Colorado.

2/29/16 review of Museo de las Americas show Detention Nation

(Image source: http://museo.org/exhibition/past-exhibitions/)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 Museo de las Americas show Detention Nation, which showcased the work of the art collective Sin Huellas.

The thread discusses the background of the show, which deals with immigration and detention in the United States. The thread discusses and shows pictures of a lot of the work. It also gives a link to the Museo de las Americas website.

Here is the link to the website for the Sin Huellas Collective.

2/29/16 review of 2016 One Colorado LGBTQ Lobby Day

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of One Colorado's 2016 LGBT Lobby Day.

During LGBTQ Lobby Day, One Colorado, Colorado's leading advocacy organization for LGBTQ Coloradans and their families visits Colorado's Capitol to discuss LGBTQ rights, issues, and policy with Colorado legislators.

My thread discusses some of the issues presented at Lobby Day, including helping the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. It also mentions some of the politicians at the event, such as Paul Rosenthal, Angela Williams, Beth McCann, Michele Fry, Jessie Ulibarri, and Janet Buckner.

Here is the link to One Colorado's website.

2/27/16 review of documentary Rolling Papers, dir. by Mitch Dickman

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the documentary Rolling Papers, directed by Mitch Dickman.

The documentary Rolling Papers is about the Denver Post newspaper's efforts, led by Editor Greg Moore and journalist Ricardo Baca, to create its Cannabist news team to follow the commercialization of the fledgling cannabis industry.

The thread discusses how the documentary portrays journalism, the team of journalists, some of my favorite journalists in the doc, and the cannabis industry. The thread also gives links to the film's trailer and the website for the film.

I saw this film at the Denver Film Society's Sie FilmCenter in Denver, Colorado.

2/21/16 reflections on the Alice in Wonderland story through time

Here is the link to a 2016 Twitter thread I wrote about my reflections on the Alice in Wonderland story.

This thread is really just some of my own reflections on Lewis Carroll's story. I tweet a little bit about how Carroll's story has inspired fetish and fan artists and writers over time, including myself. I mention one of my own Carroll-inspired stories, which is no longer online. But I also include links to some of my other fetish-inspired stories.

2/21/16 review of Colorado Ballet performance of ALICE (in Wonderland)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the Colorado Ballet's 2016 performance of ALICE (in Wonderland), by Septime Webre and Matthew Pierce.

The thread gives a bit of background on the ballet. It discusses some of my favorite elements and some things I thought could have been better. It also discusses performances I liked by Dana Benton, Chandra Kuykendall, Tracy Jones, Yosvani Ramos, and Alexei Tyukov. The thread also gives a link to the Colorado Ballet's website.

2/20/16 review of shows at Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of 2016 shows by Arne Svenson, Lanny DeVuono, Brian Bress, and Laura Shill at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver.

The thread discusses each show in a bit of detail. It also gives a good amount of pictures from each show.

2/20/16 review of the documentary Raise the Roof, dir. by Yari Wolinsky

(Image source: http://www.jewishfilm.org/tvbroadcast.html)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the documentary Raise the Roof, directed by Yari Wolinsky.

The documentary Raise the Roof is the story of how a replica of an 18th-century Polish synagogue was built and became the centerpiece of the Museum of Polish Jews in Warsaw. My thread gives a background on the documentary, the synagogue-building process, and some of the organizations involved in the process. It also gives links to the film's trailer and the Denver Jewish Film Festival, which is where I saw the documentary.

2/20/16 review of the film Suicide, dir. by Benny Fredman

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the film Suicide, directed by Benny Fredman.

The thread gives a summary of the film's plot. It also discusses what I like about the film's form, style, and cultural references.

The thread also gives links to the film's trailer and to the Denver Jewish Film Festival, which is where I saw the film.

2/20/16 review of Jess Webb show In Between Life and Death, at Leon Gallery

(Image source: https://leongallery.org/past-exhibitions#/jess-webb)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of Jess Webb's 2016 solo show In Between Life and Death, at Leon Gallery.

The thread discusses and gives a lot of pictures of Webb's work. It discusses Webb's process for creating the work in the show. It also gives some of my quick impressions of the show.

2/14/16 review of The Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer

(Image source: https://jfi.org/watch-online/jfi-on-demand/the-muses-of-isaac-bashevis-singer)

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the documentary The Muses of Isaac Bashevis Singer, directed by Shaul Betser and Asaf Galay.

The thread gives a background on the documentary, which discusses the women who inspired Isaac Bashevis Singer throughout his life. The thread mentions the shortcomings Bashevis Singer had in his relationships. It also discusses how the translators of Bashevis Singer's work from Yiddish to English were mostly women. And it talks a little about Bashevis Singer's relationship with the Yiddish language.

The thread also includes links to the film, the trailer for the film, and the Denver Jewish Film Festival, which is where I saw the film.

2/14/16 review of shows at Helikon Gallery

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 Helikon Gallery shows Opiates for the Masses and The New Masters of Dada.

Opiates for the Masses was a group show. The New Masters of Dada was a solo show of work by Naomi Haverland.

My thread gives a bit of background on the shows. It also discusses and shows pictures of work by Naomi Haverland, Gamma, Hollis + Lana, Amandalynn, and others.

Here is the link to the website for Helikon Gallery in Denver, Colorado.

2/14/16 review of RedLine Denver show (R)evolver

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 RedLine Denver show (R)evolver, which was the sixth annual show of work by RedLine's Reach Studio.

The thread gives a bit of background on the show. It also discusses and gives pictures of work by Gonzo, Risa Murray, Caroline Pooler, Rebecca Henderson, Shieka, Chris Tunstall, and others.

Here is a link to RedLine's website. RedLine is one of my favorite art institutions in Denver.

2/14/16 review of Ice Cube Gallery show RIDICULOUS-ness

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 Ice Cube Gallery show RIDICULOUS-ness, which was curated by Sarah Rockett.

The thread pretty much dives right into giving pictures and descriptions of work at the show. The thread includes pictures of work by Katie M. Caron, Rebecca Vaughan, Peter Yumi, and others.

Unfortunately, Ice Cube Gallery is no longer in operation. It was a good gallery. But it was a casualty of the development that's been going on in Denver over the past few years.

2/14/16 review of the film Mystery Train, dir. by Jim Jarmusch

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the film Mystery Train, directed by Jim Jarmusch.

My Twitter thread includes a link to the trailer for the film. It gives some background on the screening, which was part of the Denver Film Society's monthly film screenings in partnership with the Tattered Cover Book Store. It gives some observations made by the screening's presenter, Howie Movshovitz. And it gives a couple of my own observations.

Here is the link to the Denver Film Society's Sie FilmCenter, where I saw the film.

And here is the link to the Tattered Cover Book Store, in Denver, Colorado.

2/7/16 review of reading of Ashraf Fayadh's poetry at the University of Denver

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of a 2016 reading of the poetry of Ashraf Fayadh at the University of Denver.

The thread gives some background on the Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh and DU's Amnesty Korbel/Middle East Discussion Group, which put on the reading of Fayad's poetry. The thread discusses some of the poems that were read and some of the discussion we had following the reading of the poems.

2/7/16 review of Rule Gallery show Red@Rule

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 Rule Gallery show Red@Rule.

This thread gives some background on the show. It also discusses and gives pictures of work by Molly Bounds, Scott Young, Margaret Neumann, Barbara Takenaga, and others.

I am no longer in contact with Rule Gallery. But I still feel they are one of the best art galleries in Denver.

2/4/16 preview of Rule Gallery show Red@Rule

Here is the link to my Twitter thread preview of the 2016 show Red@Rule at Rule Gallery.

This thread gives some background on Rule's series of Red@Rule shows, which have happened from time to time, around Valentine's Day, since 2009. The thread also discusses, but doesn't show pictures of, work by Margaret Neumann, Wilma Fiori, Sandy Skoglund, Barbara Takenaga, Molly Bounds, Linda Herritt, and Scott Young.

2/1/16 review of UN Association Traveling International Documentary Film Festival

Here is the link to my Twitter thread review of the 2016 UN Association Traveling International Documentary Film Festival.

My Twitter thread gives a little background on the film festival, as well as on some of the Denver organizations that helped bring the festival to Denver. The thread gives a review of the documentary Manislam, which showed at the festival, and which was directed by Nefise Ozkal Lorentzen. It gives a review of the short documentary Good Muslim Girls, which was directed by Marilyn Agrelo. And it gives a review of the documentary Driving with Selvi, which was directed by Elisa Paloschi.

Here is the link to the UNAFF 2016 film festival.

The Denver leg of this festival took place at the Denver Film Society's Sie FilmCenter in Denver Colorado.